Collections
by KanashiiHawk
Summary: Furio must choose between helping a fellow Italian or betraying his own people for Tony Soprano’s crew and risking the roots of a war between the Soprano's and the Lupertazzi's.


Collections

Disclaimer: The Soprano's and Furio belong to HBO and associates. Only the OC's are mine.

Furio Giunta must choose between helping a fellow Italian or betraying his own people for Tony Soprano's crew. Now Complete

Furio Giunta had been given the assignment by Tony Soprano to collect from this deadbeat down in the west end of town. Rudolfo Pandellino owed the Soprano's close to 50k in loan shark money he had borrowed from them and now was late in paying. It was Furio's job as the enforcer and collector to now get the money. He grunted lightly as retied his pony tail and adjusted his leather jacket, the cool fall air biting at him. This had been Christopher's job but he had let the ball drop lately on his collections. Furio glanced at his friend Enzo Garasi, a fellow Neapolitan as he spoke to him in Italian. "Christopher is letting the drugs get to his head eh? He is slacking off in his duties. _Pazzo cafone_."

Enzo a much smaller and wiry man just nodded in understanding, "The drugs they are a bad thing. Pity so many get involved." He tapped his forehead knowingly. Enzo was like Furio, also an illegal immigrant from Napoli. However Enzo was deep in Carmine Lupertazzi's territory. Furio had a few tricks up his own sleeve; Enzo worked directly for Furio as backup, a man even Tony Soprano did not know about. The two men glanced at one another understandingly, in this business here in America they knew the immigrant '_zips_' were often looked down upon, used for menial jobs and executions. Furio trusted Enzo and his other man Giancarlo implicitly, in fact much more than he trusted Tony Soprano or his crew. Enzo and Giancarlo were fellow Neapolitan _Cammorrans_, they knew how things worked.

"Are you expecting any trouble on this one?" Enzo asked lightly as he adjusted his own leather coat and double checked the small 9mm he kept in his coat pocket. He spoke no English at all.

"No," Furio shook his head, "From what I hear the fellow is a _stupido cafone_, Christopher is just a bigger _cafone_, not man enough to do the job, eh?" the two shared a brief chuckle for a moment as they glanced at the small sign 'Rudy's Hardware and Supply' across the street, making sure no witnesses were around.

The two enforcers jogged lightly across the street towards the hardware store, Furio already knew Rudolfo would be here this morning. As they drew closer, Furio could hear the angry shouting of a man's voice, he paused a moment and glanced inside as did Enzo. Inside the store a fat, out of shape man had his hand around the throat of a female as he yelled and berated her, slamming her against the wall.

"His wife, Lorena." Furio explained briefly to Enzo and then both men confidently walked in.

"We're closed." Rudolfo glanced at the two men; his hand still around the woman's throat, her face bruised some. "Go on, come back later."

"You are now." Furio flipped the OPEN-CLOSED sign in the window to CLOSED and only then did Rudolfo release his wife with a hint of panic on his face.

"Who the hell are you? What do you want, get out!" he quickly began backing towards the counter but Furio was on him as fast as a hunting cat. With one fist he easily slammed Rudolfo back into the counter, knocking over displays as his other fist caught the man upside the head sending an arc of blood from Rudolfo's nose onto the floor.

"I want money you owe Tony Soprano." Furio growled in his broken English in a low, threatening voice.

"I don't have it!" Rudolfo pleaded as he grabbed at his broken nose, blood flowing from between his fingers, "I told Christopher, next week!" His eyes were huge with terror now.

"So sorry to hear, eh?" Furio simply said to the man, still pinning him against the counter. To Enzo he briefly spoke in Italian, "Looks like we are going to get a little workout my friend."

Enzo nodded and had discreetly and nimbly pulled out a metal wire, the famous 'Italian Necklace'. Briefly Rudolfo tried to fight, to scream for help, but he was no match for Furio's size and strength and the well toned and dangerous Enzo. Enzo had nimbly looped the garrote around Rudolfo's neck to silence any screams as Furio glanced around the hardware store, spied a metal pipe and easily picked it up wielding it like a baseball bat. "Maybe we take it out on you bones, eh?" Furio's tombstone grey eyes stared with no remorse or emotion at the restrained man as he swung the metal pipe first into the man's knee with a sickening crunch then followed it up with a hard swing to Rudolfo's jaw. Enzo bore down on the garrote silencing any screams of pain which made the cracking of bones even that much more hideous and loud.

Once more Furio swung the metal pipe with hard and deadly accuracy into the man's midsection and Rudolfo crumpled like a puppet with its strings cut. "Let him drop." Furio spat in Italian to Enzo who indeed let the man fall into a crumpled writhing and whimpering heap on the floor.

Furio casually tossed the pipe to the corner and glanced over at Rudolfo's wife, Lorena. He noticed she showed no fear at the two mob enforcers; in fact she had blatantly turned her back on them and began to dust some of the shelves as though her husband was not even being beaten in front of her. Back home in Italy Furio knew that many mafia wise women would make that gesture of the back turned to signal a sign of 'omerta' and of 'I see and know nothing' but he wasn't sure of what it meant in America.

Now Furio half kneeled down on Rudolfo who was still writhing and moaning in pain and agony on the floor. "You still no remember where you payment is or maybe I take some more pain out on you, maybe break you teeth out?"

"Ok, Ok…" Rudolfo panted with a strangled grunt, a sure sign his jaw was shattered, blood flowing all over his teeth. "I only got 5k here with me now. Please…" He tried to glance at Furio and Enzo for any compassion, but he would get none from the dour Neapolitan enforcers.

Furio made a gesture with his hand, "You pay me what you have now." He demanded, "In one week you best have at least another 20k, if not, I break you other leg and maybe you arm too." Furio and Enzo both reached down and grabbing the injured Rudolfo hauled him to his feet. "You get money now!" Furio growled at him.

"Lorena, get the money from the goddamn safe!" Rudolfo half screamed at his wife, "give it all to them!"

Without a sound the woman walked over to the safe and after spinning out the combination she pulled out a bag and filled it up and then walked over to where Furio was watching her like an eagle. As she respectfully handed him the bag, she spoke to him in Italian in a low voice, "There is another 2k under the cash register drawer."

Both Furio and Enzo's eyebrow quirked at her flawless Italian thick with Sicilian dialect. "Show me." Furio calmly instructed her back in Italian.

Lorena led the pony-tailed enforcer behind the counter and opened the cash register as Rudolfo groaned in pain and anger at having his last hiding spot revealed. "Damn it you bitch!" he raged, "Quit with that damned speaking in Italian woman." He moaned, wanting to get his anger out on someone, "You're in America now, speak the language!" His New Jersey accent barked.

Furio suddenly reached over the counter and grabbed Rudolfo's thick hair half dragging him backwards over the counter. "You insulting us Italians?" he threatened. "I no like you attitude!"

"No, no!" Rudolfo pleaded his face a sketch in agony at his broken bones. "Listen; why not take some of your payment out on my wife? She will give you guys whatever you want, a blow job, sex, whatever!!!"

Furio quickly translated this bit of news to Enzo and briefly both men had a hearty laugh. Enzo spoke something to Furio and Furio then translated in English back to Rudolfo, "My friend, he say, 'why take you wife when you value her so little eh?' It not mean anything if you so willing to give her up to save your own hide." Furio angrily released Rudolfo and gave a brief nod to Enzo who then with two quick jabs to Rudolfo's face, knocked him out cold.

Furio took the other 2k from Lorena as Enzo dragged Rudolfo's unconscious body from near the counter to around the back, so he wouldn't be seen by any customers coming in. "Why you with him?" Furio's grey eyes swept over Lorena as he pocketed the other 2k, "Why you help us?"

Lorena diverted her eyes from the muscular man, her voice finally speaking in a low and almost wounded tone. "My family, they wanted me to come to America to set things up for them to move here, you know, buy a house learn the area. My brother, he is with the Sicilian '_friends of the friends_'…" she used the Sicilian term for the Mafia, "But he got in trouble with another Family, so now they have to flee to America. My father paid a middle man for my passage here to America, in return I have to marry this idiot," she gestured with her chin briefly to where Enzo had dragged Rudolfo's unconscious body, "to make things legal and to repay my debt to the transporter, the middle man."

Furio had heard of this before, many immigrants did it. It was almost a form of indentured servitude; they had to pay the people who smuggled them into the U.S, for their journey here. "_Tratta della bianche_." Furio said with a dark look in his eyes, 'white slavery.'

"_Si_," She said, "But I have no choice, I must do this for my family." It was not said with pleading or even weakness, but with the inner conviction and strength of a true Italian woman.

Furio nodded a moment and glanced again at the small Sicilian woman in front of him. She appeared in her mid 30's, long dark hair tied up neatly, large dark eyes and the classical Mediterranean look of a southern Italian, if it would not be for the fresh bruises and puffy eye, she would have been a beauty. "I think about your situation." He said succinctly as he gently reached up and briefly touched her cheek. Not lewdly, but almost soothingly, "You are fellow countrywoman, I think about what you have told me, what I can do for you."

Lorena glanced away and for the first time in all of this Furio caught a brief look of anger and almost sadness in her eyes. "Please," she barely whispered in Sicilian, "Please do not get my hopes up. Do not give me dreams of what is out of my reach."

Furio gently turned her towards him again, "I am not giving you false hope." The blue grey eyes spoke of a competent man who was used to being in control, "If Furio Giunta makes a promise then I keep that promise. If I could not offer it, then I would not have spoken it. Now, what is the name of the man who is owed the money for your passage?"

"Reggie Dalmazzio, he is a captain for the Lupertazzi _famiglia_ here in New York." She said slowly.

"Lupertazzi, Lupertazzi…_Madonn_'!" Furio hissed low under his breath. Carmine Lupertazzi and his _Famiglia_ were 'big time', a powerful Commission Family in New York and also allies of the Soprano's.

Slowly her eyes began to get the saddened look they held a moment ago, "You see what I say, it is a hopeless situation."

"No!" Furio said almost more roughly than he intended. "No, if I make the promise then I keep it." Now it was more a matter of principal and challenge to him. Because it was the Lupertazzi Family, it was even more crucial to him to get her out from under his thumb. After all he had done the same favor for Giancarlo and his family. It was the reason people like Enzo and Giancarlo were so loyal to Furio.

"Thank you Furio Giunta." Lorena said as she quietly closed the cash register drawer, "Thank you for at least thinking about it." She quoted his words back to him.

Furio pocketed the money as Enzo was coming back into the main room, "Where is he?" Furio asked Enzo.

"In the back, I tossed him in the bathroom" the small man said with a devious gleam in his dark eyes.

Furio strode to the back bathroom and saw Rudolfo half thrown into a dirty and grimy bathtub. With a dark gleam of his own he turned on the water which began to rouse the unconscious man. Furio then turned off the water and leaned down over the man terrified man in the tub. "Listen well to me." He growled in his broken English, "I be back in one week for more payment. In meantime, you better not put no new bruises on that wife of yours you understand me?"

"Yes, yes!" the man nodded in terrified fear and excruciating pain.

Furio left the dingy back room of the hardware store collected his friend Enzo, who was once again turning the OPEN-CLOSED sign back to OPEN and the two men swiftly departed. As they were jogging up the street to where Furio had parked his car he handed Enzo the 2k in cash that had been extra.

"You think he is going to pay up?" Enzo nodded at Furio in gratitude for the payment.

"Who knows, if not, he has enough stock in that hardware store we can sell as swag eh?" Furio chuckled. "But his wife, she gives me much to think about. What can you tell me about 'Transporters' who work in Lupertazzi territory?"

Enzo gave a low brief whistle under his breath, "At the moment not a whole lot, I know maybe one or two, but I can find out the information for you within a few days."

Furio nodded in thankfulness, "You ever hear the name Reggie Dalmazzio?"

"Barely," Enzo leaned back in the passenger seat as Furio pulled back into traffic heading towards the Holland Tunnel to drop off Enzo back in NYC. "I think he works at the Ports eh? But I will find out what I can for you my friend."

Little else was spoken between the two men as Furio dropped his friend off back in NYC; he had a lot of thinking and planning to do in the next few days.

CHAPTER 2: WHERE THE BOYS ARE

Over the next several days Furio's mind often wavered down the path of Lorena and her dilemma of being indebted to Reggie Dalmazzio for her passage here. He had no idea why his mind had allowed his heart to speak in helping her or even attempting to. Furio already knew in his heart and soul that Lorena was a 'good girl', not the type to be a goomar or mistress and to be honest that was not what he was hoping to get out of the favor. No, perhaps what bit at him so deeply, was the very same reason he helped people like Enzo and Giancarlo and several others. The almost disrespectful way he and the other '_zips_' were treated here in the U.S.

It was fine if they were doing the dirty work for these Italian American Mob families, but never were they truly accepted or appreciated. In many ways, he was in as much debt to Annalisa Vittorio back in Naples and Tony Soprano here in the U.S. as Lorena was in debt to Reggie Dalmazzio and Rudolfo Pandellino. Perhaps that is what bit at Furio's soul so much. Knowing that he was just one man who could not change a vast ocean, but he could certainly make a ripple in the pond. He felt it owed to his fellow countrymen and women to help them out as much as possible, they made money and offered protection for him and he gave protection back. It was just the way these things were done, had always been done.

He sat in the back of the Bada Bing playing cards with Silvio Dante, Patsy Paresi and Paulie Gualtieri, Christopher had been in briefly earlier but the boss Tony had practically dragged his nephew outside and Furio as well as the other men were sure that the conversation Tony was having with Chris was not a nice one.

"Read 'em and weep gentlemen!" Paulie flung his cards down with a self satisfied sneer, "Full house!" he reached for the pot.

"Oh fuck me, you fuckin mama's boy!" Silvio growled as he angrily flung his cards down. Silvio always let his temper run away with him when he played cards whether it was for 5$ ante's or 5,000$ ante's.

"Oooooh!" Paulie laughed and pointed his hand in the familiar sign of the 'Corna' his index and pinky finger extended the other fingers closed as he pointed at Sil, "Hey, it's not my problem you gotta shitty hand my friend! Better luck next time!" he began to shove the money into neat little piles, "Who's up for another? Furio, Patsy, whaddya say? How about it Sil, care to try and win your money back?"

"Ahhh!" Silvio angrily stood up, "Forget it, I got stuff to do!"

Furio's cell phone beeped and he discreetly glanced at the number, it was his pal Enzo.

"Eh, sorry. 'Nother time." He said and stood up to use the pay phone out front.

"Napoli boy over there and his goomars." Patsy Paresi glanced at Furio over his wire rimmed glasses.

Furio just grinned and nodded briefly letting the crew think what they wanted. "What I say, eh? I in much demand." He winked which bought another round of laughter and playful barbs at him. "_Vaffanculo, stronzo bastardos_" Furio muttered to himself as he walked out front to dial Enzo's number.

"_Pronto_?" Furio spoke into the phone at Enzo's voice.

"I found out some stuff on that person," Enzo hinted. Like Furio, Enzo was an old pro at double talk and never said anything that could be traced back or used against them. "We meet for dinner tomorrow at the usual place, I will tell you then."

"Is it good news?" Furio dared to hope.

"I think it is." Enzo chuckled gently at his friend and benefactor, "I think it will make you happy. See you tomorrow, my friend."

Furio gently hung up the outdoor payphone as he felt the cool fall air begin to wrap around him like icy tendrils. The skies were grey and darkening, an icy wind was blowing against him causing his eyes to squint a bit in the biting cold.

"Furio." Tony Soprano's voice broke Furio out of his mental wanderings as he saw his boss come striding towards him. Furio could tell by a discreet glance at Tony's bruised and slightly scrapped knuckles that his 'talk' with Christopher had not been a pleasant one.

"Hey Tony." Furio nodded in respect to his boss, Tony.

"Callin' yer goomar's again?" Tony smiled almost gently.

"What can I say, they like the accent, eh." Furio played along.

"Glad to see you are in a good mood," Tony glanced discreetly around for a moment to make sure no one could overhear and then back at Furio, "'Cause you are going to have to be the one to make the final collections on our hardware fellow. Chris isn't up to the task."

"Sure, no problem, I do." Furio leaned in close to Tony, "But I be honest, I no think he gonna come up with all the money eh? I think I gonna have to take a lot of it out in merchandise."

Tony shrugged as he pulled out a cigar and lit it, "That's fine, whatever you gotta do. Get what you can from him and then…" Tony sucked fiercely on the cigar a moment to light it in the stiff wind. "He retires."

Furio just nodded once, glancing away and spitting on the ground. "Understood." He said levelly. Tony had just effectively ended Rudolfo Pandellino's life after Furio could get as much repayment as he could from the 50k debt. There would be no mercy for Rudolfo and it meant that Furio would have to work even harder and faster if Lorena was to have any chance to escape the same fate.

"He's married ain't he?" Tony asked as though suddenly reading Furio's unspoken thoughts.

"Eh," Furio shrugged noncommittally, "She is Sicilian, she know how to keep a her mouth shut. But whatever you want done, you just say."

"Tell her to move away from New Jersey then and take a long vacation, become a happy widow." Tony spoke giving her a pass. She would be reprieved from the same fate as her husband.

For this Furio was glad, but it also amused him how much the American mobs underestimated the women, how easily touched some of the men could be. Furio still remembered his first assignment here, beating the shit out of both a husband and his wife that ran a brothel and drug dealership. Furio had gotten it because apparently none of Soprano's men wanted to beat the hell out of a woman; or rather it had been that drug addict Christopher who had dropped the ball on that assignment as well. "Sure, no problem Tony." Furio nodded again at his boss' instructions.

"Good," Tony briefly clapped Furio on the shoulder with his meaty hand, "The boys still playing cards back there?"

"No really." Furio shrugged, "Sil he no likes to lose eh?" Furio chuckled, "Paulie, he like to, how you say, rub it in that he wins."

Tony chuckled softly a moment and nodded as he too seemed to scent something within the cold air riding in over the marshlands of New Jersey. The two men stood like two wolves atop a hill on their territory, scenting the wind of any threats or upcoming dangers. Without any other words Tony just nodded with his chin and walked off back towards the 'Bing as Furio headed off to his small car. He had some work to do on his house as well as some serious thinking and planning.

CHAPTER 3- Word is Given, Therefore we earn on our own.

Furio pulled up into the small tenement section of New York's Brooklyn area, a few men glanced briefly at his car then went back to standing around and talking amongst themselves. They knew Furio Giunta and he knew of them. This section of the City was a small area where many 'illegal' or newly immigrated Italian people came to live, some hoping to hook up with American Mafia families, some hoping to get honest legitimate work, but all of them, whether Sicilian, Neapolitan, Calabrian or otherwise had made this section the new 'Little Italy.' Here old prejudices were laid to rest to help support one another in this new land of plenty and capitalism. It was here people like Enzo Garasi and his mother and aunt lived or Giancarlo Tarrone and his wife and 3 children lived as well. It was also a section that resided smack dap in the middle of Lupertazzi Territory and many of these men sadly had been recruited to work as gophers, soldiers and 'zips' for Carmine Lupertazzi, his underboss Johnny Sacrimoni and their crews.

The few men Furio had just glanced were 'guards' for the area; men who lived down here to keep out the non-Italian undesirables and take care of their own. They knew Furio though; he had discreetly helped many of the men and families here, employed some on runs for Soprano business or had even donated money to those families who needed medical care or other things. Yes, they too knew Furio was a 'predator', Enforcer supreme and true old-world _Mafioso_, but like a true old world man, he often worked hard to help his own.

Enzo was already coming down the chipped cement steps of the run down tenement building, "Ah, _mio amico_!" he gave Furio a brief hug, "Mama and Sophia cooked up some of the best for you once they heard you were coming to dinner." Enzo led Furio inside where the scent of true old world, Italian cooking slammed into him.

Like Enzo, neither Sophia or Maria Garasi spoke a word of English, and no sooner than Furio ducked inside the doorway, Maria the younger but more matronly of the women grabbed Furio in a bear hug and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "Furio, thank you for all you have done. Look at Mama; see how healthy she is now! How well she is coming along, she is a tough old woman." Sophia laughed but crossed herself none-the less, "Mama," she called out, "Our angel, Furio is here!"

Enzo just good naturedly rolled his eyes at his best friend, always the scene was nearly the same whenever Furio dropped by. Furio had been the one to pay for Sophia's emergency surgery to save her life, and now the Garasi family now indebted themselves to him fully. Furio knew that Enzo's father, the late Nunzio Garasi had been killed back in Napoli during the wars between Zio Vittorio (Furio's old family) and the Buccilla's, the rival Camorran family. Back in Italy Furio and Enzo would have been enemies, but here. Here in this new land, they were the best of friends.

"Furio, Furio!" the elder woman of the Garasi clan came forward with a smile on her face for Furio. She briefly hugged him and then turned to her 28 year old son Enzo as she swung a wooden spoon at him, "Go stir the sauce, what's the matter with you Enzo!" she chided him lightly. "Get the wine out too!"

"Ok, Ok, Mama!" Enzo kissed his mother grabbed the spoon out of her hand and disappeared into the kitchen.

"Furio, _mio angelo_." Maria kissed him once respectfully on his smooth face, then ran her hands down his strong well muscled shoulders as she always did, "You getting to skinny eh? I make some nice soup, and _pane casareccio_ as well as pasta for you."

"You always take very good care of me, _Signora_ Sophia." He gave the elder woman a light hug back. "Believe me; I not get skinny with your wonderful cooking."

"These New Yorkers," Sophia huffed, "They not know how to cook at all. You come here for real Napoli food!"

"I always do." He joked for a few more moments with the two women and then pulled Enzo out of the kitchen so the two could go talk in private in his bedroom.

Enzo had bought a bottle of homemade wine and some glasses which he poured for him and Furio. "So I have been listening on the docks about this fellow, Dalmazzio." Enzo lit up two cigarettes and handed one to Furio, "Apparently he is not much liked in his own crew as well."

Furio quirked an eyebrow at this, "Really? But this transport must bring in a lot of …" he made the sign for money, "…For his bosses, yes?"

"Yes, no." Enzo chuckled slightly and took a long draught of wine. "Money for Dalmazzio, yes. But very little going up the chain to the larger fish, eh?"

Furio understood now, Dalmazzio was doing this on the side, which was all well and fine, but he was shorting his bosses severely on their cut and tribute. "_Figlia di puttana_…" Furio murmured under his breath. "So if something were to say, happen to him?"

"As long as his Masters got a big share, what the fuck they care?" Enzo nodded dourly. "Besides, from what I understand through the grapevine…" he lowered his voice and made another gesture, a Camorran gesture of '_keep your silence on this_', "…From what I hear, your Soprano's and Carmine Lupertazzi's are not the best of buddies, eh? Apparently the underboss Johnny Sacrimoni has been spotted here and there driving off to late night meetings with this Tony Soprano."

"_Vaffanculo_!" Furio swore softly at what this information revealed to him. New and dark doors were opening up, dangerous doors and dangerous decisions.

"And just to add frosting to the cake," Enzo hinted with a grin as he took a drag off his cigarette and poured him and Furio more wine, "I checked into Lorena's story through the underground. It checks out well and fine, she is honest. But, what she doesn't know is that it was the Lupertazzi's who originally caused problems with her family back in Sicily. The Lupertazzi's are a Sicilian connection and the main connection they have there in Palermo is Bruno Manganello, it was his _Famiglia_ who have been warring with Lorena's clan the Cavaseno's. Lorena's being here is not so innocent as she thinks, The Lupertazzi's hope indeed she brings the rest of her family here where the Cavaseno's can either suffer a mysterious fate on their voyage here, or worse…Arrive here and be…" Enzo didn't finish the sentence; he just made the gesture of a gun with his hand, the universal sign of an execution.

"Thus giving this Reggie Dalmazzio the open door to be the Lupertazzi connection to the Manganello's back in Sicily." Furio finished the sentence a cruel look in his dark blue eyes.

"Oh yes," Enzo nodded, glad to see Furio was on the same wavelength, "But the Lupertazzi's, they don't know about all the side work and indiscretions this Dalmazzio has been doing, and my gut reaction says that Dalmazzio may just bail out on the Lupertazzi family altogether and work exclusively for the Manganello's in Sicily. That way Dalmazzio can escape the Lupertazzi's once and for all, but continue his work as a 'transporter'."

Furio roughly stubbed out his cigarette on the windowsill of Enzo's room and flung it angrily down below; glancing briefly outside to make sure no one had been listening in. He closed the window and swung around back towards Enzo. "I will not ask you to do this thing, Enzo. In fact it better you not get involved with me on this."

"No…" Enzo held up a hand interrupting Furio before he could continue. He could see the quiet rage and the dark planning in his friends deep eyes, he knew what Furio was going to do, knew it with unbending resolve that the Neapolitan enforcer and assassin was going to take out Dalmazzio once and for all. "No." Enzo spoke calmly again. "Furio, you are like a brother to me, always you have helped us, the other people here. My mother she is right to call you the avenging angel, you do not have to do these things that you do for so many of us. In fact I don't see others here so quick to help out each other, but you..." He stood up and faced his friend, "You have put all on the line to not only help out your fellow countrymen, whether they are from Napoli, Sicily, regardless…But you are like our protector, yes? A dark man indeed, a deadly man indeed, and very skilled in what you do. But you have something that so many here do not have, integrity. How can I not follow where you lead Furio when I believe the same in my heart as well, I just don't have the brains or the planning that you do."

Furio just ducked his head a moment unable to look his close friend in the eye, humbled by Enzo's honest words of loyalty to him.

"Giancarlo, I know he would feel the same way," Enzo now stood up and placed one hand on Furio's muscular shoulder, "Lead us Furio and we will follow you. To bite alone at the heels of a great Bear is ineffective, but for a pack of determined wolves, we can bring that bear to its knees. You are that leader Furio. We trust you; we go where you lead, without question."

"Thank you Enzo." The two men briefly embraced in friendship, "To know you are at my side and covering my back makes me feel secure. I will talk personally to Giancarlo tomorrow as well, and two days from now, the three of us will first go to Rudy's hardware to finish business there, then later that same day, we will kill this Dalmazzio."

Enzo just nodded. "I will set a discreet trail on Reggie Dalmazzio then so we know at all times where he is. I have a feeling once Rudolfo Pandellino disappears, Reggie will get as nervous as a bride on her wedding night."

Both men nodded as Maria then called out, "Stop talking business you two! Dinner is ready!"

Furio and Enzo went to the small kitchen, where for a brief time Furio was transported back to his homeland of Naples, Italy with conversation in the Napoli dialect and his favorite Neapolitan foods. He was honored to have such people as these in his life.

Chapter 4: REGRETS AND REMEMBERANCES

After spending the night at Enzo's apartment and being fed homemade biscuits with jam and fresh fruit as well as strong coffee for breakfast he headed down the block over to his other friend and soldier Giancarlo Tarrone. He knocked on the door and then rubbed his hands briefly in the cold morning air. The door was opened by a beautiful girl of 8 years old with sparkling green eyes, and long blonde hair.

"Furio, _buon giorno_!!" she smiled excitedly and practically leaped into his arms.

Furio smiled warmly as he carried the girl inside, "_Buongiorno, come stai_ Lita?"

The young girl, Lita continued to ramble on in Italian to her friend as a stunningly beautiful woman came out of the kitchen with two more children in tow. "Furio!" The woman smiled in surprise, she was of Northern Italian descent so she had blonde hair and green eyes like her daughter. "I had no idea you were coming, let me set another plate!" her English was nearly flawless with just a hint of Italian accent to her.

"No, no. Is Ok, Mara" he swung Lita down off his hip and gave the attractive mother, Mara, a quick hug and kiss on the cheek. "Sophia and Maria just fed me. I here to see Giancarlo, is he here?"

"Of course." Mara gathered up her two girls as the eldest son of 13 hung out near the door frame watching Furio, "Please, have some coffee at least. I will bring some to you…" and she disappeared into the kitchen where a moment later the whole apartment rattled as she yelled out in Italian, "Giancarlo, hurry up and get down here! Furio is waiting for you!"

Furio was surprised just how loud the petite Mara could be. He glanced at Giancarlo's eldest son, Rocco. The two seemed to stare almost darkly at one another for a moment and then suddenly they both moved like old fashioned cowboys at a showdown, drawing invisible guns and shooting at one another. The boy cracked a wide smile then and sat down next to Furio. "So when can I work for you too, eh, Furio?" Rocco looked like his Sicilian father, dark hair, dark eyes and olive complexion.

Furio just shook his head and gave the boy a rather stern look. "You no work for me." He said. "You stay in school eh? Here is not like Sicily, here you have opportunity."

"You always say that." Rocco now stood up, his shoulders drooping. He just gave Furio a dour look and headed into the kitchen.

Furio sighed deeply; he really did not want the boy to follow in the footsteps of him or his father Giancarlo. The mafia families here in the U.S. were nothing like they were in Italy. He had hoped he could persuade the boy to get into legitimate interests but he had a gut instinct that young Rocco would hook up with a gang regardless and if he lived though that or didn't get arrested, might actually be scooped up as a soldier for the Lupertazzi crew.

At that moment a tall thin man in his late 40's came barreling down the stairs. With dark olive skin, short cropped salt and pepper hair and dark brooding eyes he seemed to be running a dozen directions at once. This was Furio's other most trusted soul in the world, Giancarlo.

"Hey." Giancarlo grabbed Furio and the two men embraced as Men of Honor usually do. Like Furio, Giancarlo could speak some English but not that well.

"Mara, I go out now!" He yelled into the kitchen.

"You haven't even eaten anything yet, Gian!" She sighed a bit, but yet knew her husband would do what he would do.

"Yeah papa, eat breakfast with us." The young blonde haired Lita tried to pull her father into the kitchen.

"I no can do my angel." Giancarlo said to his youngest daughter. "I have to go to work with Furio, and you have school to go to."

The young girl kissed her father and then gave Furio a hug and disappeared back into the kitchen with an almost shy look.

As Furio and Giancarlo left his apartment it made Furio's heart ache. He hoped someday he could have a wonderful family and beloved wife of his own. But for now he was more than happy to be accepted by Giancarlo and his family.

"Rocco's confirmation is coming up in a month." Giancarlo now spoke in Italian as he pulled out a cigar and lit it, "I still meant what I said about being his godfather, eh? You are like a brother to me Furio. I would want no one else to be his sponsor and godfather."

"Of course I will do this." Furio assured him, "I am honored you even ask. But now we must talk some business." Both men sat on the stairs of one of the apartment buildings.

Furio then talked in detail about the whole Rudolfo Pandellino and Reggie Dalmazzio situation. Giancarlo just sat and listened without a word to his friend as he smoked his cigar. His only reaction during Furio's tale was an occasional nod or grunt of agreement.

Finally when Furio finished telling him all the details Giancarlo just glanced up at the bright clear blue autumn sky. He reached in the pocket of his leather jacket and pulled out what looked like a thin silver wire with two small handles on each end. "You will be needing a good 'rope man' eh?" He smiled as he swung his garrote back and forth. Giancarlo as one of the most skilled assassins Furio had ever met.

"Yes I will." Furio smiled grimly back. "But even more important, we need to keep things discreet from both the Lupertazzi's and the Soprano's."

"This is no problem, my friend." Giancarlo slid the garrote back into his coat pocket. "You said Enzo was putting a tail on Reggie Dalmazzio?"

Furio nodded yes.

"Then I will have Pandellino covered, and I will see if I can find out more about what Johnny Sack and your Tony Soprano are having late night talks about." Giancarlo glanced around one more time, giving a homeless man a hard glare that sent him scurrying away, "And when you are ready to do the thing," he made the quick sign of the gun, "You call me, I will be ready. Enzo was right in what he said, Furio. He and I would follow you anywhere, into the gates of Hell itself if you asked. You are like a brother to me."

Furio just put one hand on the mans shoulder and said nothing a moment, no words were needed between the two friends. "You know I feel the same, Gian." Furio just quietly said and after they embraced goodbye Furio hurried to drive back to New Jersey. He had a lot of planning and plotting to do within the next 3 days, thankfully his two most trusted men were keeping an eye on things here and starting the ball in motion that would take out Dalmazzio, get his assignment for Tony done, and free Lorena Cavaseno-Pandellino.

Chapter5 : COLLECTING DUES

Furio tried to lean casually against the wall of the backroom in the Bada Bing, while he was playing cards with Silvio Dante. By the pool table Paulie "Walnuts" was going on about something. The man grated on Furio's last nerve, and apparently Sil's as well, as Silvio finally looked up at Paulie, "Will you shut da hell up already about the damn Ernest thing! You messed up Paulie, not me, tell it to Tony."

"Hey, hey!" Paulie always let his temper run his mouth; always spoke before he thought it out. "It was the skip's idiot nephew Chris, who screwed it up! Not me!"

"Christopher screwed up what." Tony Soprano suddenly entered from the outside entrance as he caught the last of Paulie's rant.

"Nuthin'." Paulie glared and tried to quickly slink back off to the pool table.

"Don't give me, 'nothing' Paulie!" Tony now spoke with a hard edge to him, his muscles tensing up as he stared down Paulie. "If you gotta beef with Christopher then lemme hear it, otherwise don't be flapping your gums about shit you don't know!" Tony was definitely in a bad mood today. "So what about Chris??" Tony persisted, not ready to let it drop. Both Furio and Silvio just glanced idly over at the confrontation between Tony and Paulie.

Paulie stood up and now worked to slam down his temper, he knew better than to be spouting shit in front of the Boss especially about his nephew no matter how screwy the kid was. "Nothin' Tone. I'm sorry, Ok? I got no beef with Chris, I was just mistaken." He held his hands out briefly in a submissive gesture letting Tony know he wanted no more flack with the Boss.

Tony turned away from Paulie as he dropped a sack of greasy take out food on his desk.

"Furio, you got that thing today with Pandellino, right?"

"Yeah, in fact…" Furio threw down his hand of cards and stretched his powerful muscles. "I be going, got to get ready on that thing."

Tony's look softened a moment towards Furio. He knew just how deadly the Neapolitan enforcer was and he was so glad he had gotten Furio in the deal with Annalisa Vittorio. Furio could do a lot of this messy work he didn't want his more visible soldiers doing. "You need anyone to go with to assist?" He asked, but he already knew what Furio's answer would be.

"No, I got it." Furio nodded then added to Silvio, "We finish this later, eh? You were beating me anyway." He threw down a 50$ bill towards Silvio and then shrugging on his thin, black leather jacket turned and left out of the Bada Bing.

"That guy fuckin' freaks me out sometimes." Paulie nodded after Furio had left, "Those zips are a lot different than what I am used to."

"Leave him alone, Paulie." Silvio groused as he reached over and snagged some French fries from Tony. "That guy does the work of 5 of our lazy associates, and besides, that's the way those guys from the other side are." He chewed the fries, "All business like that. They don't take shit from no one."

Furio had already made some quick phone calls to both Enzo and Giancarlo, he had learned that Rudolfo Pandellino was trying to 'hide out' on the lower East Side of New York from him, and that Reggie Dalmazzio always had a habit of walking his big intimidating Doberman down by the docks every evening around 8pm. He was going to have a busy night ahead of him.

Since Furio already knew Rudolfo was not at the hardware store, he stopped there first. Lorena was working behind the counter and Furio waited for her to finish with the one customer before he respectfully approached her. As soon as she looked up into his eyes, his heart pounded with rage. Her face was now not only bruised, but he could see where newly stitched cuts lined her cheek and disappeared down her throat, which was covered with a scarf.

"What he do to you!?!" Furio growled more harshly than he intended. Lorena tried to turn away, now in Italian Furio ordered again, "He tried to cut your throat didn't he?"

She wanted to turn away but he had now come around the counter and one hand gripped her shoulder. She was not scared of Furio, but she respected him. Knew what he represented and she knew what was now going to happen to Rudolfo. All she could do was nod, yes. A single tear escaped her puffy eye, no matter how she fought to stop it.

"Shhh," Furio soothed briefly, as he gently stroked her hair a moment. "Listen. I have good news for you on what I promised, but listen carefully to me, Ok? I need your help in this."

She nodded and then closed up the store and invited him into the back office where she poured him a cup of fresh coffee. "I knew this was coming, Furio Giunta, but I am also scared. Now I am out there with no protection, what if Dalmazzio's people…"

Furio held up a hand gently interrupting her. "Never mind about Dalmazzio. He will be taken care of tonight. But in two hours, you are going to be letting in about 10 of my friends. They are going to take all the merchandise in your store, you let them Ok? In fact it would be better for you if you just go to a safe place." Furio now wrote down the address of Enzo's apartment, where he knew Maria and Sophia would take care of the fellow immigrant Italian woman like their own sister. "These people here will take care of you; will get you set up until your family can get here from Sicily." Furio slid the piece of paper towards her. "Also, I will be sending an envelope with some cash from what we are able to sell from all this." He waved his hand briefly around the store. "It won't be much, but it will help you eat, survive and be comfortable until your family comes here."

"Why do you do this Furio?" She asked again, a look on her face between sadness, fear and uncertainty. "Why do you help me out? You are Camorran, from Napoli, and I am just the daughter of a Sicilian Mafiosi."

"It doesn't matter." He looked down at his coffee cup. "I told you before, Lorena. I made a promise to you. There is nothing I am asking in return for this favor, except that one day when I ask you for a favor, a small one, you will return it to me. Here in America; Mafia, Camorra, Ndragheta, it makes no difference. We all cooperate among one another; the old prejudices are laid to rest."

She nodded and sniffed back anymore tears. She then walked around and gave Furio a brief respectful hug and kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Furio Giunta." She said and Furio saw the strength return to her proud eyes. "Thank you for doing this favor for me. I will indeed repay you with whatever favor you ask in the future. As for your friends, the store will be opened for them in a few hours so they can take whatever they want. I will even just give them the key and then go over to…" She glanced at the piece of paper he had written on, "Sophia and Maria Garasi's."

Furio nodded and stood up as he finished off his cup of coffee. "Good, I am glad to hear. I will be checking on you to make sure you are safe and Enzo…" he smiled a moment, "Enzo is a good man, he will make sure you are safe as well." A part of Furio almost hoped that Enzo and Lorena would eventually hook up, Lorena would make some made man, a very lucky and good wife.

Furio left the store and hooked up with Giancarlo a few blocks over. "Everything is set; we stop and let Enzo know to move his men into the store in two hours." Furio had already briefed Enzo on what to do; to completely take all the merchandise out of Rudy's Hardware, where it would be sold on the street and over the internet as 'swag'. After they had literally cleaned out the whole store, Enzo and crew would torch the place to destroy any evidence or fingerprints.

"You look pissed off my friend." Giancarlo lit one of his cigars as he cracked open the window of Furio's car, "What is wrong?"

"Rudolfo Pandellino pisses me off." Furio grunted roughly. "I was going to make it a quick job, but now…" he paused, "Now I want the man to suffer in his death."

Giancarlo just shrugged and said nothing. He had sworn a vow to follow Furio no matter what. He knew that it would be safer just to do a quick execution of the man, but apparently Rudolfo had angered Furio deeply, and Giancarlo knew it was none of his business. He was just here to help Furio kill the guy.

"I am still planning on doing Dalmazzio tonight as well." Furio spoke as he made a hard right, driving down the rough neighborhood. He was actually glad that Rudolfo had holed up here; the people around here would be used to gunshots, drug deals and other violence and would keep their nose out of the dark business.

"We are leaving Rudolfo's body to be found, but making Dalmazzio's clean and gone right?" Giancarlo used the term that meant hiding the corpse so it wouldn't be found.

"Exactly." Furio nodded as they pulled up to a street and got out of the beat up car, locking it. There would be nothing worth stealing in here anyway. They were going to walk the other block, knowing that Pandellino would probably have look outs or at least be wary. He knew what was coming for him.

Both Furio and Giancarlo had worried unnecessarily though, after a tip they found out that Rudolfo was alone in his apartment and supposedly high as a kite on some heroin.

With a swift kick at the rickety wooden door, Giancarlo smashed it open and both men poured inside, their guns in hand ready to shoot.

Rudolfo Pandellino glanced up his eyes glazed, the rubber tourniquet still around his arm from shooting up. He tried to focus his eyes, tried to lean over for his 357 but Furio was much faster.

"I thought I told you what would happen if you harm you woman!" Furio growled in English at the man, "Now you going to be one sorry _stronzo cafone_!" he dragged Rudolfo off the couch and literally flung the man into the center of the room. Rudolfo tried to clamber to his feet, tried to form a scream of terror, but Furio quickly kicked him hard in the belly as he also bought the handle of his gun down on the man's head stunning him.

Giancarlo also got a few agile kicks in on the man, and was rewarded with the awful crunch of one of Rudolfo's ribs snapping. After that he backed off, to be the lookout and to let Furio have this kill. He would only interfere if Furio needed him, but it was quite obvious that any fight was gone from Rudolfo.

Rudolfo moaned in pain and fear, his jaw still wired shut from where Furio had broken it last time. "Noooo, Nooo!" he tried to plea.

Furio was cursing and growling at him in Italian now as he moved in again, his fists catching the man on his broken jaw. With a tortured groan Rudolfo collapsed in an unmoving heap. But Furio was by no means done with him; he wanted Pandellino to suffer the same way he had made Lorena suffer. Furio dropped down atop the man, sitting on his chest. "Give me your garrote!" he called out to Giancarlo.

Giancarlo tossed Furio his garrote as Rudolfo vainly tried to throw Furio off of him. But Furio was much stronger, much more dangerous and he was not going to be unseated from his victim's chest.

"I wish I had knife, eh?" Furio almost spoke soothingly to the man, "Then I would slice you up nice and slow. But this will have to do for now." He looped the garrote around Rudolfo's neck, but used only one hand on it, to control his victim but not kill him yet.

Once again Furio unleashed his anger, his vengeance on Rudolfo's face. His fist crashing over and over into Pandellino's face and head until the man was unconscious beneath him. Furio then leaned back and now using both hands tightened the garrote finishing him off. There was no struggling as Pandellino was already unconscious from Furio's vicious beating; Furio just pulled the garrote tighter and tighter around the man's neck, feeling Rudolfo's wavering heartbeat beneath him. Not until the final heartbeat did Furio finally release the garrote and get off of the dead body. His hands ached in agony from tightening that garrote around the man's neck for nearly 7 minutes. "I don't know how you use this thing," Furio looked up at Giancarlo with a wicked grin. "I just prefer this." He took his 9mm and then aiming between Rudolfo's eyes shot a single bullet into the already dead man's skull. Furio always made sure his victims were dead, a double assurance of death.

"Come on." Giancarlo nodded and both Furio and he quickly left the apartment and jogged back over to their car. As they suspected, no one even gave the two cruel assassins a second look, preferring to stay out of it.

Furio's knuckles were badly bruised, cut and bleeding from his smashing his fists repeatedly into Rudolfo's skull and wired teeth. He hoped his sore hands would not slow him down when he had to do Dalmazzio later this evening. Giancarlo was now driving and he drove them both back to his house. "Mara is out, the kids are at school. We got a few hours here by ourselves. Come on, I fix you up."

Giancarlo grabbed some beers for the both of them and also a first aid kid and some hydrogen peroxide as he expertly cleaned up Furio's hands and then bandaged them up for him. "So this Dalmazzio," Gian spoke up finally, "We want him to go down quiet, so you let me rope him, eh? You keep his dog quiet make sure no one sees us."

Furio nodded grateful for Giancarlo's taking care of him and the beers. "Since he is part of the Lupertazzi crew, we wear masks on his hit. It would be far too dangerous to reveal ourselves."

"Enzo told me that he heard from the grapevine, Johnny Sacrimoni is sending out feelers to Tony on possibly whacking his own boss." Giancarlo spoke nonchalantly as he began putting away the first aid supplies.

"What?!?" Furio's eyes blazed with surprise and also anger.

"Yeah, seems that Carmine is not exactly loved by some of his capos and top administration. I know, it's crazy what these _Famiglia's_ here do. No loyalty among any of their ranks." Giancarlo nodded, "Personally, you watch your back with that Tony Soprano eh?" he glanced up at his friend, as their eyes met. "I don't say this to be disrespectful, but because you are like my brother. I don't trust the Soprano's as far as I could throw them. If anything ever went wrong Tony would let you drop in a heartbeat, I think he would let anyone in his crew drop in a heartbeat."

Furio remembered the earlier argument between Tony and Paulie. He knew Gian spoke the truth. While Furio had no choice of being here in the U.S, he really was not thrilled with how the mobs ran here. He was disgusted with his cousin Annalisa Vittorio back in Naples and he was now growing wary of Tony Soprano. "I'm not offended." Furio smiled at his friend, "And believe me, I am already heeding your advice. I stay on Tony's good side, but I watch him carefully." Furio made a gesture of pointing to his eye.

"It's a shame you were not born a Sicilian, and we did not work together back in Palermo." Gian grinned widely, "You would have made a hell of a Mafioso, Furio. The Camorra, they wasted a good talent. But…" he paused and punched Furio lightly on the arm. "Personally I am glad they sent you here. Otherwise I would have never met you, eh?"

Furio laughed and accepted the gentle teasing and sincere compliment from his friend. People like Giancarlo and Enzo were the one thing that made this whole stay in New Jersey pleasant. That, and the fact he would be soon looking to buy a house and move his father and Uncle here to the states as well.

Chapter 6: A PROMISE FULFILLED

Furio and Giancarlo left his apartment before his wife and kids came home and they wandered around to a local coffee shop where they sat around watching the women and bullshitting for the next 4 hours until it was nearly 7:00 pm. Furio had called Enzo once to make sure things were going as planned, and was told by a happy Enzo that not only was all the merchandise moved out, but 'Rudy's Hardware' was burning like a bright fall bonfire in the New Jersey evening. "Excellent." Furio spoke feeling immensely relieved, "I will talk with you later at our usual place. Also, there is a guest at your house, you be nice to her, she is a good girl eh?" Furio teased lightly, "She is widowed now and young. Maybe you show her around, make her feel safe."

Furio could hear Enzo's warm chuckle on the other end as the two men hung up. Furio glanced around in the falling darkness in New York City. Even though there were people all around him hustling here and there, he still felt like the lone wolf. Sometimes women would glance appreciatively at the dour pony-tailed Italian man, and sometimes people would seem to sense how dark he could be and would instinctively back off or go wide around him. It always amused Furio to 'people watch' and he was quite good at reading people, he knew most men in this business were good at reading people. They had to be.

He glanced at his watch and then went to grab Giancarlo who was flirting harmlessly with a hot looking Latino woman. "_Madonn_!" Furio hissed at his friend in Italian, "How many _comare's_ do you have, eh?" he grinned.

"None of your business, my brother." Gian bid the hot looking lady goodbye and then both men jogged over to Furio's car to drive down near the docks. They both knew it would be a long night, because after Dalmazzio's execution, they were going to have to chop up the body as well. Furio knew there was no way they could use Satriale's, but Enzo had paid off a local butcher here in New York, so they would be doing the grisly task over there. There could be no 'evidence' what so ever of Reggie Dalmazzio's death and disappearance or it would start an all out war between the Soprano's, and the Lupertazzi's and would also guarantee Furio's death as well. All this was being done in secret and 'off the records' even from Tony Soprano, and unlike Paulie Gualtieri, Furio Giunta was very good and careful in what he did.

They had dressed in black shirts, black jeans, black gloves and each had a ski mask tucked into their belt for when the time came. Right now they were simply hanging out on the docks, trying to assure that it would be safe to do this hit. If there were any witnesses or anything felt 'wrong' they would call it off.

Fate was with the two hitmen that evening, for a dark ominous fog began to roll in from the ocean, and the air was cold with a slight drizzle. Most of the dock workers had went inside or deep into cargo holds to keep warm or slack off. At around 7:45 Furio and Giancarlo caught the sounds of sharp footsteps and the soft '_click, click, click_' of dog nails as owner and dog strode down the docks.

Furio signaled silently to Gian as both men slunk further into the shadows and donned their ski masks. Furio made another signal to Giancarlo and it was if both men seemed to hold their breath. Furio could hear everything echo with unnatural sounds in the thick fog, a distant foghorn sounded and somewhere further down the dock someone coughed loudly.

In the eerie orange glowing fog, Furio could barely see in front of his own face, as his gloved hand slipped inside his coat around his 9mm. He had put a silencer on it, but he prayed it would not be needed. For a brief moment he could have sworn he saw a quick red light ahead in the fog, he strained his eyes watching warily and was certain it was Dalmazzio lighting a cigarette. He could hear a heavy panting now, '_click, click, click_,' came the scrabbling sounds of a large dogs nails on the cement. A sudden low growl seemed to come from within the fog.

'_Vaffanculo_!' Furio's mind groaned. He would have to take out this damn dog if it interfered, he did not want the snapping, barking and growling of a dog interrupting their hit. It would draw to much attention.

"Shut up, Caesar." The rough Brooklyn accent of Dalmazzio admonished his dog and Furio could hear a sharp yank of a leash. The dog gave a quick yelp and then again the scrabbling and clicking of its claws and its heavy panting as Reggie Dalmazzio drew even with the two hidden assassins.

Furio could feel his friend Giancarlo moving even before he saw him. Furio rushed forward as well, Dalmazzio had just barely made a primal grunt of surprise when the tall Giancarlo snapped the garrote around his neck with an expertise that was almost beautiful to behold. In a deadly but graceful dance of death, Gian easily stayed behind his victim as he half held him up and tightened on the wire noose. Not a sound could be heard except for Giancarlo's breathing and the soft scraping of Dalmazzio's expensive shoes on the cement as he danced like a horrid puppet on the end of Giancarlo's metal string.

Furio had rushed forward and grabbed the leash of the dog. Since he had worked on farms in the past he was quite familiar with animals. He knew dogs often were thrown off guard and calmed down once their leashes could be controlled or if their name was spoken as if the person knew them.

Before the dog could think or react Furio had pulled it a few feet to the side, his gun out in case the dog got nasty or raised an alarm. "_Calmarsi Caesar_," Furio whispered gently but firmly to the large Doberman. "Be good." The dog just obediently sat down and glanced up at Furio, its nub wagging slightly as if it cared less that its master was being garroted less than 5 feet from him.

Furio glanced up and down the dockside; so far no one was there, no one who could see them, not in this thick fog. Again someone coughed raggedly in the distance but he sensed the cougher was not anywhere near them.

Furio could see Giancarlo finishing up his victim now, as they both sank down to the ground; Giancarlo kneeled on top of Dalmazzio's back as he easily finished throttling the life out of the man. Furio was indeed impressed at Giancarlo's skill with the wire, Gian had told him once he had killed 35 people with the wire back in Sicily, and Furio did not doubt him one iota.

"Ok." Giancarlo grunted as he rose to his feet and quickly thrust the wire back in his pocket. He glanced once at the dog as if wondering what to do with it. Should they shoot it? Garrote it?

"Just bring him with, we give him to the butcher to guard his store, he is a good dog, eh?" Furio smiled with a wink and patted the dog. Both men now quickly scooped up Dalmazzio's body, thrust it into the trunk of their car and drive to Pascal Brothers Butcher Shop and Delicatessen over on the east side. Caesar the Doberman rode in the back seat like he had known Furio and Giancarlo all his life, occasionally licking his chops as if he sensed he would be getting some tasty treats tonight.

Gossip comes and goes and talk came and went over the next three weeks. Tension rippled all up and down the Lupertazzi territory at the disappearance of Reggie Dalmazzio but in the long run, when information was leaked out that Dalmazzio was actually planning treachery against the Lupertazzi's by fleeing to Sicily, the talk died down and several crews figured that the Lupertazzi crew had killed him themselves.

Furio had gotten his final payment on collection on Rudolfo Pandellino, and his boss Tony Soprano was happy with the 45k that the stolen swag out of the store had gotten on the secondary market. Furio had sent two envelopes to Lorena with close to 10k of money from his own business and his take from the Pandellino job. Last night he had eaten dinner at Enzo's house and could see that both Lorena and Enzo seemed to indeed get along well, even if she mercilessly teased Enzo. But Furio knew she teased him because she was indeed falling for him and he somehow sensed in time Enzo would fall for this Italian spitfire of a woman as well. Things were on target for her family to arrive here in the states, and Enzo was personally overseeing the arrangements.

Tomorrow would be Rocco's confirmation, and tonight Furio had been invited to eat at Giancarlo's house with his family. He knocked on the door and it was shortly opened by the blonde haired and playful Lita. "_Buonsera_ _zio_ Furio!" She smiled and flung her arms out to hug him. Next to her a big Doberman wagged its nub and welcomed the Neapolitan enforcer into his home. Furio could already smell the wonderful smells of pasta and breads and pork as he walked into the apartment.

_Finito_


End file.
